PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN Decoder — MIC ZPA

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZPA were assigned by the US Coast Guard to PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES of KELOWNA, BC. The company is recorded as out of business since 1985 — common for older hulls, and useful to know when hunting parts or records. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.

MIC

ZPA

Location

KELOWNA, BC

In business

since 1975

Status

Out of business (1985)

PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–1985): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.

How a PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN breaks down

A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZPA45678D424 (illustrative):

CharactersSegmentIn exampleWhat it identifies
1–3Manufacturer (MIC)ZPAIdentifies PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES, assigned by the US Coast Guard.
4–8Hull serial number45678PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used).
9Certification monthDMonth built — A=January … L=December (D = April).
10Certification year4Last digit of the certification year.
11–12Model year24The boat’s model year.

Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner

Buying this PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES? Check it before you pay.

PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES is recorded out of business (1985) — which affects recalls, parts support, and resale. The $9.99 Boat Report adds the full CPSC marine-recall check, a HIN consistency check, a verify-before-you-buy checklist, and the USCG builder record for this hull — one downloadable report, one-time, no subscription. See what's included

PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN FAQ

What does a PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "ZPA" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–1985): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.

Is PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES still in business?

USCG records list PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES as out of business since 1985. That's common for older hulls — the HIN still decodes normally, and the out-of-business date helps date the boat and guides parts-hunting toward salvage and owner groups rather than a dealer network.

How do I decode the year on a PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–1985): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.

Where is the HIN on a PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES boat?

On the outside upper-starboard (right) corner of the transom, within two inches of the top — required by 33 CFR 181.29. Since August 1984 an identical duplicate HIN is also molded into an unexposed interior location as an anti-theft measure. Both should match the title, registration, and insurance card exactly.

Is the "ZPA" MIC the same as a PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES serial number?

No. "ZPA" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES's own production number for that specific boat (the letters I, O, and Q are never used). The full 12-character HIN combines the MIC, the serial, and the date code.

Can a PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN tell me the exact model?

Not on its own. A HIN encodes the builder, hull serial, certification month/year, and model year — not the model name or length. Match the decoded year and serial against PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.

Other builders in BC

Sources: verified against the USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR Part 181, Subpart C. Reviewed by Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher, CarWhere. Cite this page: CarWhere, "PACIFIC AUTO-PLAS INDUSTRIES HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zpa, last verified 2026-06-15.